The World's Best Book Summaries
What is Keep Going by Austin Kleon about? What are the main takeaways of the book? In Keep Going, Austin Kleon provides methods for overcoming emotional obstacles to creativity. He suggests an approach to creativity that finds joy in the process of making art, rather than the external rewards it might bring you. Keep reading for a brief overview of Keep Going.
What is the introduction stage of the product life cycle? What happens to products during this stage? In The Marketing Plan, marketing expert William M. Luther gives a brief overview of the first stage in the product life cycle. When products enter this stage, there are very few competitors but rarely any revenue is made. Let’s look at the pros and cons of entering the market during the introduction stage of the product life cycle.
How does Toyota use lean manufacturing at the factory level? How does it make production more efficient? In The Toyota Way, engineering professor and lean manufacturing consultant Jeffrey Liker describes the work practices known as lean manufacturing. Liker uses Toyota’s use of lean manufacturing to show how it works. Below we’ll look at how Toyota’s lean manufacturing is implemented at the modeling stage.
What are examples of outcome goals? Why should you avoid pursuing outcome goals? According to Austin Kleon in his book Keep Going, outcome goals are unhealthy because they focus more on the result and less on the process. This especially applies to people working on a creative project. Here are two outcome goals examples and why Kleon says you should avoid them.
What does genchi genbutsu mean? How does Toyota use this concept to fix problems during manufacturing? Genchi genbutsu is the Japanese concept of going to the site of the problem to figure out how to fix it. At Toyota, genchi genbutsu is an important principle to follow. Learn more about how Toyota encourages the genchi genbutsu principle, according to Jeffrey Liker’s book The Toyota Way.
What are the three phases of the product life cycle? How can understanding these phases help you tailor your marketing strategy? After calculating your target market’s size and ideal market share, you need to understand what happens to products in the product life cycle. This cycle starts when a product is introduced to consumers and ends when it’s removed from the market. Read on to learn how William M. Luther explains the phases of the product life cycle in his book The Marketing Plan.
What is the difference between process goals vs. outcome goals? Which one is better to pursue? In his book Keep Going, Kleon says that to be creative without feeling overwhelmed or burned out, you have to use your creativity to pursue the right goals. He separates the goals into process goals and outcome goals. Let’s take a look at the difference between these two types of goals.
What is Toyota’s “Respect for People” principle? How does Toyota treat its employees and supply chain partners? Toyota’s principle, “Respect for People,” is one of the two pillars of the Toyota Way. Jeffrey Liker, in his book The Toyota Way, illustrates how Toyota encourages this principle to build a better company. Read more on Toyota’s respect for people, most importantly its employees and supply chain partners.
Are humans inherently good or evil? Does our environment shape who we are? In The Lucifer Effect, psychologist Philip Zimbardo argues that humans aren’t born good or bad. Instead, he theorizes that certain circumstances can cause any good person to become evil. Learn more about why Zimbardo believes humans aren’t inherently good or evil.
What are some examples of consumer behavior? What is the key to understanding what a customer truly wants? There are five common consumer behaviors you must understand to do your best selling. Master salesman Zig Ziglar talks about these behaviors and how to use them to your advantage in his book Secrets of Closing the Sale. Here are five consumer behavior examples to learn from.